Coin vending mechanism



NOV. 22, 1932. w RUSSELL 1,888,473

COIN VENDING MECHANISM Filed May 11, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Nov. 22, 1932 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM HUNTINGTON RUSSELL, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT COIN VENDING MECHANISM Application filed May 11',

The invention relates to improvements in a coin vending machine which largely consists of a metal double track in a sheet metal stamping or casting Within which two sliding plates are moved forward. The invention has the advantage of compactness as most of the nonmovable parts are embraced in a small metal unit. Each machine is designated to sell either of two articles by pushing the handle forward so as to move a coin pusher against a coin releasably held in a slot in either movable plate, thereby moving the forward end of the plate against an article for purchase. One object of the invention is to use two plates, each for holding a coin within its slot until released in its forward position by means of depressing devices embraced in the casting. The same movable plate is used not only to carry a coin in a forward position but is also used as the article ejector.

The invention is easily constructed and consists of one or more castings or units at tached to the wall or door of an article cabinet. A coin box releasably attached to the I wall or door of the cabinet fits over the castis releasably fastened to the door of the article cabinet and acts as a protection for the mechanism in each unit and also as a box for receiving coins used in operating the device. With these and other objects, the invention is specially designed forfsellingtwo articles by means of a single handle fastened to a coin pusher which may be moved forward against 3 any coin releasably held in a slot in either of 1931. Serial No. 536,466.

the sliding plates, thereby moving the forward end of the plate against an article in the cabinet and ejecting it into an article receiver where it may be removed by a purchaser.

In the drawings: 5.05

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet embodying a number of units comprising my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of one of the units, partly in elevation and partly in section, with 55. its casing broken away.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2. 1 V

Fig. 4 is a corresponding view taken on the line 44.- of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofone of the ejector slides. I

Fig. 6 is a similar perspective view of the coin actuating bar; V

Referring more particularly to the preferred form of the invention as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and l, a single metal casting 1 has a Each track consists of a slot 2, 2 or 2 and 2 in two rail supports extending along the entire length of the casting both comprising three rail supports 3, 3 and 3 The center rail 8 has'a slot 2 and '2 on its outer two sides. Each track of two rails is similar so 7 that a corresponding metal plate 4 and 4: can be pushed along each track to a forward position. Each end of the three track supporting rails 3, 3 and 3 rest on similar sup porting members 5 and 6 of the casting. Above the center section ofeach'track and extending parallel with each track the entire length of the casting and resting on the metal supports 5 and 6 which are attached to the supporting'members 5 and 6 and comprise part of the casting, are coinguides"? and 8 each consisting of two similar parallel upright members with. a space .10 and 10 be-' tween slightly greater than the thiclmes s of a nickel. Each of the two coin openings 10 and have their two metal upper sides 11, 11 and 12 and 12 closed at each end so as to form a $10 ing cover from the top to the bottom. he forward end is closed by a slanting cover 13 and 13 and this part of the casting ushes down against any coin carried forwar against it. The forward closed ends 13 and 13' are at an angle so as to push a coin releasably held in a corresponding slot 10 14 or 14" in a moving plate through said slot so that the coin will then drop into the coin box 15 as described below.

Theupper surface of the center track supported by the rail 3 is raised slightly above 16 the top of the plates 4 and 4 so that a coin pusher 15 at right angles across the center track supporting rail 3 with its ends near the sides of the outside track supporting rails 3 and 3", moves on the upper surface of the so center track 3 when moved by a handle 16 attached through a hole 17 in its upper sec tlontothe coin pusher 15 by means of 'a nut 18 screwed 'on to the threaded end of the handW it-IQI The stock of the metal rod I comprising the handle is cut downat its end hermit is threaded so as to fit through the lifl' lfin the coin pusher and forms a tight joint. The coin pusher 15 is a small metal chstihg having its rear end 20 sloping downa mira e as to come in contact with a coin held a slot on a sliding plate at a sufficiently lowpoeition to raise up the coin out of its coin slot and force it to ride over the coin pusher. Ill-this way a coin, dropped into a coin slot when the coin usher is in a forward position, will be raised when the coin pusher is moved backward, as this lower surface 20 wiil come in contact with a sufficiently low surface on the coin to raise it up; the coin will be caught against the rear part of the closed coin guide 21 which slopes upward, and thereby forced over the coin pusher, allowin 'thecoin pusher to come back to its and the coin to again rest in its coin slot. The handle 16 is in the shape of a U except for its upper end which is bent vertically upto form a hand grasp. when each plate is pushed back until by its forward end coming in conlhe door of the cabinet, its slot willbe just in front of the coin pusher 15. The upper part of said slot is made in a more or'less V shape so that a coin falling and striking a late on either side of the slot will bedirected into the slot. Separate springs 3 3'and 38 extend perpendicularly across the under side of the rear of each slot 14 and 14 late the sizeof a coin to be releasa 'fLhld in each coin slot. Each spring 33 an 33'- is held in a position Where it will reletsably hold a coin of desired size from falling throu 11 its slot of its own way. This is accomplis ed by having the spring held transversly across the slot by means of its end loops fastened within cuts 34 and 34 which are a short distance apart on each side of each plate as shown in Fig. 5. The size of the coin to be stopped from falling through the slot in each plate is determined by selecting the correct cuts in which the ends of the spring are fastened. In this way a coin of any size can be used in the machine provided it can be dropped into a corresponding slot 35 in the top of the coin box, located directly above as shown-in Figs. 2 and 3. Bfy regulating the size of each slot in the top 0 the coin box according to requirements and adjusting the exact location of each spring 33 so as to hold a coin of any size desired at a correct height in its slot, the mechanism may be adjusted to use any coin. Each slot may be adjusted as desired so that the price of any article can be regulated for any size coin.

Within the space 10 between each set of coin guides, a pawl 36 hangs on a pivot 37 extending through holes 38 on each-guide so that a forward moving coin will lift its lower end and swing it forward, but after a coin has passed and its end has again dropped, the coin cannot move it in the other direction because another pivot 39 likewise passing through holes in each guide will prevent it. In this way a dishonest person cannot move any article ejector forward until an article has been delivered into the article receiving box 41, shown inFig. 3 and then return the handle so as to operate the mechanism again with the same coin. By this means the forward end of the article ejector cannot return far cno'rgh to get in front of a second article. The handle must therefore be pushed the Whole distance until the coin is pushed down through its slot by its corresponding depressor 13 before elther the plate 14 or 14 can return to its original position and the machine again operated.

As stated above, 'a separate plate, slides in I each of the tracks formed in the casting. Each of the plates 4 and 4 has two'of its sides in the form of an L, but each plate has the additional feature of having a piece of metal at the lower outer end of the L extend backward a short distance parallel to the long part of the L as shown in Fig. 5. Only the long part of the L moves along the tracks in the casting, the lower part of the L acts as the article ejector, and the backwardly pointing short arms 46 serve the'purpose of preventing an article resting on the plate from tipping sidewards and wedging between the forward part of the plate 4 and the article cabinet, thereby preventing the plate 4 from returning to its normal position after an article has been ejected. The lower part of the L reaches just within the cabinet and acts as a stop when each plate is pulled back by its spring 32 or 32 by having one end attached to the plate and the other to a bolt passing through the rear end of the casting. The two parallel ends of each sliding plate have sufficient space between them for the corresponding outer track support to extend within this space. A coin slot through each plate on its long L surface parallel to its length extends directly in front of the coin pusher but under the space and 10 between each set of guides, and corresponds in size to the largest coin which can operate the maclnne.

In Fig. l, I have shown eight handles 42 extending outside of the article cabinet. As each handle operates one unit by means of which either of two articles may be obtained, the illustrated cabinet may contain sixteen articles for sale. Within the coin box there are eight units spaced as desired depending upon the size of each article which it sells. There is one coin slot on each side of each handle in the top of the coin box 15. The size of each slot allows coins of small enough size to be inserted,which the corresponding spring 33 under the coin slot below will stop from falling into the coin box, unless pushed past the spring by its depressor 13 or 13 when the coin andits plate are moved forward. A glass partition 48 shows customers when articles are depleted or the kind of article in each article container in the cabinet.

Coin slots 45 in the bottom of the coin box 15 located in corresponding positions to the coin slots in the top of the coin box, may be used to allow coins of too small size for making a purchase and therefore not stopped by the spring 33, to be guided after falling between the guides 44: directly into the article delivery chute 41 where they can be obtained by the owner. In this way a person cannot put too large a coin in any slot, but

if he puts too small a coin into any insertion slot it is returned to him. A set screw 45 shown in Fig. 3 inserted through a rod'under the coin slot35 can regulate the size of come 5 to be inserted into the machine.

Cabinets can be made for any number of articles for sale, and each un t attached to the door will sell two articles I therefore do not limit myself to any number of units used with any cabinet and the price of any article sold by any unit may be varied.

I To operate the coin vending mechanism and thereby make a purchase, a coin of sulficient value to make the purchase of any desired article located in an. article magazine in the cabinet is dropped into the coin slot located on the top of the coin box in the nearv est position to the article to be purchased. The glass window in the cabinet shows the exact location of articles for purchase. The deposited coin will then drop through its slot by gravity into the space between the two corresponding coin guides so that its lower surface will enter the coin slot in the sliding plate located directly under the insertion'slot. The spring under the slot in the sliding plate'is positioned so that it will stop the downward fall of the coin after almost half of the coin has entered the slot. moving the handle forward, the coin pusher attached to the handle will come in contact with the part of the coin extending above the plate at a height which will push the coin and plate forward until the upper surface of the coin comes in contact with the depressor near the end of the coin guides. This depressor part of the casting will push down on the coin, overcoming the resistance of the spring under the slot in the plate sufficiently to force the release of the coin. This will not occur until the forward end ofthe plate in the article cabinet has already come in contact with and pushed off its shelf the lowest article for purchase locateddirectl'y in front of the sliding plate. This article will then drop into the space in the cabinet directly in baclrof the article magazines, then fall by gravity until guided by the article guide 40, shown in Fig. 3, to a forward position into the space under the coin box where it may be obtained by the purchaser. The coin forced through its slot falls into the coin box where it may be eventually removed by opening the cabinet door and unscrewing the wing nuts on the bolts which hold the coin box to the cabinet door.

Should the handle only be pushed forward until an article falls from the cabinet, and then the handle returned to its former position before the coin is depressed through its slot, the sliding plate will not be returned by its spring to its former position because the pawl within the guides cannot swing backward as the pivot 39 prevents this action. The coin can only raise the bottom of the swinging pawl during its forward movement. After the pawl has let the coin pass, its lower part drops so as to prevent the return of the coin to its former position. In this way only one article can be purchased by one coin as the forward article ejecting part of the plate cannot return to get behind another article as the next article will rest on this part of the plate until the plate is returned by its spring to its former position.

The handle may always be moved forward, but has no effect in making a purchase unless coin of correct size is releasably held in one of the slots in a sliding plate. The spring always returns a released handle to its former position. If, however, a person pushes the handle forward and then drops a coin of snllicient size to be releasably held i'zr he slot'of a sliding plate before the handle has been returned to its first position, the rear side of the coin pusher will come in contact with the lower edge of the coin so that the coin will be raised out of its slot by vressuro between the low rear edge of the returning coin pusher and the rear slanting downward extension of the coin guide.

' Pressure on the two lower surfaces of the coinwill raise it up, and as the coin pusher returns to its former position the com will ride over the coin pusher and fall again into its slot; In this way trouble is avoided regardless of the position of the handle and coin pusher when a coin is dropped through the insertion slot.

AS the article ejecting part of the plate moves forward the two parallel arms of the plate will carry the weightof all articles which rested on the article being ejected. An article might tip oif one plate so that its edge would fall behind the article pusher, preventing the return of the plate. having two arms this trouble is prevented. wVVhat I claim is:

"1. Ina coin vending mechanism, a plurality of metal castings attached to the outer surfaooot-an article container, plate supports in each casting, a plate slideable along its supports against an article in the article container, a slot within each plate, a spring under each slot attached to its plate, a coin ejector in the said casting,a handle attached to a coin pusher movable within each casting, a cover for all of the castings attached to the article ontainentsaid cover having insertion slots through it; means on said casting for directing a coin placed in any insertion slot to the slot in said plate. a spring attached to the movable plate and casting, a spring attaching the handle and casting together; and an article chute in the cabinet leading to an article exit.

2. A coin vending mechanism comprising a metal casting attached to the door of an article cabinet, said casting consisting of a two rail track on supports. a coin guide and a coin depressor; a plate slideable along said track and extending through a hole in the said door of the cabinet, :1 coin slot in said plate; a spring under the slot attached to said plate, a coin pusher slideable within the casting above the plate and attached to a handle, eneend of a spring attached to the handle and the other end to the casting; and a pawl within said coin guide pivoted to swing in onedirection, with means to prevent it from swinging in the other direction; and a coin box With a slot through its top rcleasablv fastened to the door of the cabinet so as to enclose the casting, a coin chute attached to the casting, said coin chute positioned to guide coins falling through aslot in the plate ghrough a coin slot in the bottom of the coin 0x. 0 3. A vending unit, comprising ametal castmg having two grooved tracks extending along the ength of the casting, said tracks eing an integral part of parallel extensions held by two support-ing bases, one base fated at each end of the casting; a coin slot In a plate. a spring selectively positioned under said slot attached to said late, said spring releasably holding a coin o predeterminedsize from falling through sald slot of its own weight; a coin guide in said casting consisting 0 two parallel vertically disposed members, said coin guiding members shaped at one end as a coin depressor; a handle of U shape with one end attached to a raised extenslon of a coin pusher movable within said unit, said coin pusher movable by said handle in a forward direction against any coin releasably held-in a slot in said plate; one end of said plate extending outside of the casting into an article cabinet, and means for attaching each unit to the door of a store mechanism.

4. In an article vending mechanism, a casting comprising parallel track supports attached at their ends at right angles to two base supports, each track support having one groove on its inner side running its entire length; one plate having a coin slot through it parallel to its length, said plate movably mounted on said tracks, a spring under said slot attached to said plate, a coin pusher movable in said casting above said plate and attached to a handle, a spring attaching the handle to the casting; a coin depressor attached to coin guides in said casting; a coin box having a coin slot therein, said coin box releasably attached over the casting to the said door of an article cabinet, an article chute and article exit within said cabinet, and means for returning said moved plate back to its former position, and a coin chute attached to the casting, said coin chute positioned to guide coins falling through a slot in the plate through a coin slot in the bottom of the coin box.

5. In a coin vending mechanism, a vending unit attached to the door of a cabinet, said unit having two similar tracks therein, a coin depressor attached to coin guides in said unit, a plate with a coin slot through it movable in grooves in said tracks, "the forward end of said plate extending through a hole into the cabinet door, an article shelf in said cabinet, an article chute in said cabinet lead ing toan article exit; a pawl in each unit; cuts on each side of each plate, a spring under said plate with an end fastened in select ed cuts; a coin pusher movable in said unit attached to one end of a handle, the handle extending forward through a hole in the vending unit and door of the cabinet and then bent up and back again through said door so as to form a U shaped forward part of the handle, the upper part of the U bent back parallel to the ldwer part except that its rear upper end is bent to form a grasping handle,

a spring attached to the middle forward part of the U handle and to the vending unit; one end of another spring attached to said plate and the other end attached to a section of the Vending unit; a coin box with a slot in its top attached to the door of the cabinet and enclosing all the stationary parts of the vending unit, said coin box having its upper surface under the upper part of the handle.

6. An article coin vending unit releasably attachable to the door of an article cabinet, said unit having within it a'movable slotted coin plate, said plate held on two supports in said unit, parallel coin guides with an open space between extending vertically above the coin slot in said plate, a coin depressor attached at the end of said coin guides, an adjustable spring under the slot in said plate with its ends attached at opposite sides of said plate, a coin handle having its lower arm extending forward through a hole in the forward end of the unit and releasably attached at right angles to a coin pusher; the forward end of the handle is of U'shape with its upper side bent back parallel to its lower side except that its rear end is bent vertically upward; a coin box attached over the unit but under the upper part of the handle to the door of the said cabinet, a spring attached to said movable plate and unit, and another spring attaching the handle to the said unit; a coin slot in the top of the coin box, and a corresponding slot in the bottom of the coin box; the forward end of said plate extends through holes in the door of the cabinet and has a backwardly pointing short arm; a coin chute attached to the casting, said coin chute positioned to guide coins falling through a slot in the plate through a coin slot in the bottom of the coin box.

7. An article vending mechanism consisting of a casting bolted to the door of a cabinet, one slotted coin plate movable forward on a set of two parallel tracks which are part of said casting, an adjustable spring attached to each coin slotted plate adjustably positioned under one end of the slot in said plate, said slotted plate extends through the door of the said cabinet so that its end is movable above a shelf in the cabinet, a tension spring attaching said plate to the casting; a coin pusher above said plate releasably attached to the lower arm of a handle, a spring attaching the forward end of the handle to a section of the unit; a coin box having a coin slot through its upper side releasably attachable to the door of the cabinet over the casting, a pawl swingable in one direction attached to coin guiding members which are part of said casting, a pin fastened through said coin guides positioned to prevent sald pawl from swinging in the other direction, a depressor located within said casting at the forward end of said coin guide; and means for'actuating said vending unit to deliver a purchased article into an article exit and return all movable parts to their former positions after each purchase.

8. An article vending mechanism, comprising a stationary unit attached to the outside of a door of an article cabinet below a glass window, said unit having a track, coin guiding members and a coin depressor attached to it; an article ejector movably mounted in said stationary unit having two parallel arms attached at right angles to a third arm, one of said parallel arms having a coin slot therein, a spring under said slot attached to said arm and a second spring attaching said arm to said unit; a handle movable above said unit attached to a coin pusher movable under coin guiding members, and a coin box releasably attached to the door of said cabi net over said unit and an article delivery opening in said cabinet.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM HUNTINGTON RUSSELL. 

